According to BTRC, evidence has been found that a total of 8,682 SIMs of these operators were used in illegal VoIP activities. The commission has directed the concerned operators to pay the fine within the next 10 days. A notice signed by BTRC Director Sohel Rana has been sent to the chief executive officers of the respective companies.
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Illegal VoIP Activities: Four Mobile Operators Fined Tk 8 Crore 86 Lakh
In the list of fines, Robi Axiata has been given the highest penalty. The company was fined Tk 5 crore 93 lakh 50 thousand for 5,935 SIMs used in illegal VoIP activities.
Banglalink was fined Tk 1 crore 88 lakh 20 thousand as evidence of 1,882 SIMs being used in similar activities.
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Additionally, state-owned mobile operator Teletalk was fined Tk 68 lakh 10 thousand for 681 SIMs used in illegal VoIP activities, and Grameenphone was fined Tk 18 lakh 40 thousand for evidence of 184 SIMs used.
In the BTRC notice, it was stated that the concerned operators failed to take effective measures to prevent illegal international call termination according to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Act, mobile operator license conditions, and commission directives. As a result, their SIMs were used in illegal VoIP activities.
The commission further informed that an administrative fine of Tk 10,000 per SIM used in illegal VoIP activities has been determined. Separate notices in this regard were sent to the four operators on July 21 last.
It is noteworthy that after the fine on Grameenphone came to light on Saturday (July 25) night, information about fines on the remaining three mobile operators on the same charge also emerged.